One Dance Tonight
by KathleenCaitlyn
Summary: What happens to Edmund and Lucy after their kiss? Sequel to "No Sleep Tonight". Ed/Lu Warning: I'm german... story possibly includes missspellings and grammatical faults


One Dance Tonight

A fragile tiara rested off-centred on her hair, that was tied to an elegant braid on the back of her head. She was looking down to the shore, but he could see that her cheeks were reddened and that her eyes sparkled joyfully.

This night, he guessed, must have been very successful to her. She probably had danced with a bunch of charming, handsome princes, had received thousands of compliments, how beautiful she looked today, had avoided most of the diplomatic chitchat of the old men, and, as a total highlight of tonight, had finally been kissed by her crush. Yes, all in all a dreamful night.

He himself hadn't had such luck. At first he was supposed to dance with the daughter of some random calormen merchant, who kept chatting about nonsense, and followed him afterwards, once gotten rid of her, he was drawn into an argument between a centaur of Narnia and a nymph from Archenland who apparently liked each other but could not admit it, so instead they argued whether gold or silver was more beautiful. He had to literally hold the centaur back, so that he didn't attack the nymph with his sword (massive gold, duh!)

And as a final result of the evening, he and his brother had been interrogated by the calormen ambassador while he was eating the olives he had brought himself and mocking them with every second sentence.

And the whole time, even the whole day, he had forced himself not to think about her.

Waking up in the morning he had been haunted by vicious thoughts and pieces of memories, which had kept slipping before his gaze.

He had skipped breakfast and gone to the training hall where he had carved up at least a dozen of straw dolls and fenced against every available soldier in the whole training area.

Afterwards he hadn't let himself pause and had ridden to Beruna to check if there was going on anything (as it had been mentioned by some guests who arrived early), but of course it was deserted there.

In Cair Paravel again, he had taken care for his horse extensively, grooming it extra long, until its coat gleamed in the sunlight.

Around half an hour before the ball was set to begin, he finally had taken care for him self, showering off all the dust and sweat of the day, combing his hair and putting on his best cloth.

And after all this effort he still didn't manage to not think of her.

The moment their lips had met! He could still taste her on his tongue. His heart felt out of place. Just as if it didn't beat for him anymore, only for her.

All night long he had observed her, noticing every blink of her eyes, every little smile on her face, every brushing back her hair.

He had wondered if it was even possible that a girl could be so perfect like her, so beautiful, and nice, and intelligent, and strong.

And then she had left the room. And he had followed her.

She had been going for a lonely walk in the gardens, wandering the orchard, looking to the purple sky, and finally sitting down on a wall that faced the ocean.

And now he stood only meters behind her, watching her, admiring her.

When he couldn't stand the distance any longer, he quietly moved beside her. She jumped and turned, slightly blushing when she looked into his eyes.

Elegantly she stood up from the wall and turned fully towards him. "King Edmund" she said formally.

"My Queen" he answered in the same, formal tone. Nearly shy he took the hand she was giving him and touched the soft skin of the back of her hand with his lips.

"If you allow me this question, what is a young and beautiful queen doing outside alone, while the whole ballroom is full of honourable men, who would love to talk to her"

"Yes" she smiled. "What would such a queen do outside alone?"

Edmund grinned. "But you are not alone, are you?" he pointed out.

She licked her lips, leaving her lower lip wet. "I indeed am not alone, what is making me wonder, if you allow me this question, what a charming, handsome King is doing outside alone, while all Ladies in the ballroom are only waiting for him?" she said with a slight touch of derisiveness.

He managed another smile. "The two of them are a strange couple, don't you think?"

"True" she nodded, and her tiara nearly skittered down to the ground.

In the last moment Edmund took a step forward and aligned it. Suddenly, they were very close.

"Stupid thing" she muttered under her breath and grabbed it to place it carelessly on the wall, were its emeralds glittered in the moonlight. "I always feel ridiculous, when I wear it" she confessed, with a side glance on the piece of jewellery.

"No!" he quickly blurred out. "I think you look beautiful"

She blinked, then smiled. "Thanks" she said.

"Soo" said he, struggling to find a neutral topic to talk about. "Are you enjoying yourself tonight?"

"I am, thank you. What about you?" she looked up to his face. They still stood so close to each other.

"Hm" made he, with a shiver.

"Would you like to dance, King Edmund?" she grinned mischievously.

"I don't know, if that's such a good idea, Lucy" said he in a serious voice.

"Please" putting on the cutest of smiles she begged.

"Oh well. Fine" he gave up. Why wasn't he able to resist her anymore?

While he put his hand on her waist, and took her hand in his, he thought about the last night, where he had embraced her just like this. And what had happened afterwards.

Slowly he began to dance, leading her gently but decidedly.

If they pricked their ears, they could still hear the fine music of the faun orchestra. It was a slow tune, telling of the long winter and of the everlasting snow.

When the music got lost in the wind, he backed away.

"You're an excellent dancer" his little sister said, looking at him in a way, he could not define. "I really don't know why you do not like to"

"It's like you with your tiara. I feel strange" he explained weakly.

"Good night, Edmund" she said after a long pause.

Before he could answer, she kissed him on the cheek, very close to the corner of his mouth, and rushed off.


End file.
